Hiring on Job Boards – Which is Right for You?

One of the frustrations I hear from professionals in my network is it can be very difficult to be heard on the internet – there’s so much noise and so many distractions, it’s nearly impossible to find your next employee when posting online. The people I work with and the companies that hire me are a natural match – good people and good companies.

I thought it might be helpful to share a quick guide on some key aspects to posting your job online, ensuring you get the right person for your next job opening.

Make sure your posting is effective

Before you start looking at any of the online locations to place your ad, you should ensure it is going to attract the right applicants. Just like any other ad, it’s important the posting you craft for the new position is informative, engaging, and accurate. If you manage to capture the attention of your audience, but the job posting is not a clear indication of the personality of your company, it’s unlikely you will generate exceptional applicants. Create a posting that speaks to your target audience so they know they will be appreciated and impactful while working on your team. The more specialized the position you’re hiring for, the more important it is to speak directly to your job seekers through your ad.

Paid Job Boards

There are a variety of online job boards for you to choose from, including:

Monster.com – Probably the most well known of the online job boards, this can be an effective way to collect multiple (but sometimes unqualified) resumes. Prices start at $210 for a 30 day posting (depending on your location), and go up from there. There are a variety of add-ons/options to tailor your posting for your needs. As well, there are tools available to drive traffic to your posting (including QR codes and social media connections)

CareerBuilder.com – Job postings start at $419, but there are good discounts for multiple postings. The ability to find local candidates (within 30 miles of where you posted) and automated screening tools can help you find your next employee

Dice.com – Tech based job board, with postings starting at $495 for 30 days. There are other options available, including Resume Access Express for $995 (view up to 500 resumes) for targeting specific tech skills and requirements

LinkedIn.com – at $195 for 30 days, it’s the least expensive of the pay sites listed here. There is the added benefit of seeing more about the applicants than just what’s on their resume.

Free Job Boards

If the paid boards are an option you’d prefer to stay away from, you can look at posting your job on some (or all) of the free classified boards, such as:

Craigslist.com – quickly becoming one of the best known online classified sites. Free to post your ad, but you will need a bit of coding expertise to ensure the ad looks enticing. One of the drawbacks of using free boards is your target market might not think you are serious, since you aren’t paying to place your ad. Another disadvantage is there are no stats available about your job posting.

PennySaverUSA.com – similar to craigslist, but more user-friendly for creating your new posting. Free, but you have the option of buying “enhancements” to make your ad standout. Nowhere near the penetration/viewership of craigslist, but it might be an effective tool in your region.

Do a quick search in Google of your area to find the online classifieds that are popular near you. Not every region is the same – where one area might rely heavily on Craigslist, another might find an alternative more productive. Some of the other popular sites: Kijiji.com, Usedeverywhere.com, or backpage.com.

Your online Presence

You can post your job notice on your corporate website or your Facebook page, and then promote it via your LinkedIn profile and/or Twitter account. Depending on your followers, this can be a very inexpensive, yet effective, way to reach your target audience. Building your fanbase now can be helpful for you in the future, as well as demonstrating to your candidates that your company is a tech savvy, forward-thinking, and fun place to work.

What works for you? Are you finding a combination of online/offline efforts produces the best candidates, or do you prefer to outsource your hiring decisions, and choose an agency for your placements?